Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung made this assessment while delivering a speech on Radio the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) to mark ASEAN’s 42nd anniversary (August 8).

He said that to set the future course for ASEAN, leaders of all member states have adopted a roadmap for building an ASEAN community by 2015 based on three main pillars: the Political-Security Community, the Economic Community and the Socio-Cultural Community, as well as a programme to narrow the development gap among its member states. This lays a firm foundation for the association to make further achievements and promote cooperation among ASEAN member states and between ASEAN and its partners.

Mr Dung said that with the recent enactment of the ASEAN Charter, an apparatus has been established to help the community develop in a more efficient manner.

He acknowledged that ASEAN and its partners have stepped up their cooperation by drawing up long-term cooperation programmes to address global challenges such as the economic-financial crisis, epidemics, natural disasters and climate change. In addition, East Asian integration has been improved through cooperation agreements in the fields of economics, trade, investment and services, as well as through the establishment of more free trade areas.

“ASEAN’s position has been elevated. ASEAN and non-ASEAN countries have consistently supported the association’s role in regional and global cooperation processes,” said Mr Dung.

According to him, building the ASEAN Community is a tough task which requires all member states to make a greater effort to realise approved documents and effectively carry out programmes and plans of actions with specific and practical measures to be adopted to promote solidarity and cooperation based on common objectives and the basic principles enshrined in the ASEAN Charter.

Mr Dung insisted that Vietnam attaches great importance to increasing cooperation in Southeast Asia and considers ASEAN an important part of its foreign policy. The country has taken part in the ASEAN cooperation process in a proactive and responsible spirit for the sake of peace, stability and development in the region and other parts of the world.

Since joining the group in July 1995, Vietnam has made substantial contributions to the association’s solidarity and development, said Mr Dung.  

Together with its Renewal achievements, he said Vietnam has become an integral part of the extended ASEAN family. The country is now joining hands with other member states to promote cooperation and integration to meet the target of building the united community by 2015.   

The PM said it is a great honour and a big task for Vietnam to assume the role of President of ASEAN for the coming year. He affirmed that the country is preparing to take on the role and will try its best to fulfil the task as a testimony to its commitment to make a positive contribution to ASEAN.